Genoa claim they have rejected a request from Milan to swap Stephan El Shaarawy with Alexander Merkel.
Genoa claim they have rejected a request from Milan to swap Stephan El Shaarawy with Alexander Merkel.
“Milan Vice-President Adriano Galliani proposed the deal,” stated President Enrico Preziosi. “However, Merkel is not moving away from here.”
El Shaarawy joined the Rossoneri from Genoa during the summer in a switch that saw Merkel move in the other direction.
However, the young Italian has struggled to get a game in Rossonero, while the German has impressed in midfield for the Rossoblu.
El Shaarawy, 19, was hoping to get more of a chance in the first team after the club lost Antonio Cassano for the next six months following heart surgery.
Milan, though, look likely to bring in a new forward after Christmas with Manchester City’s Carlos Tevez and Catania’s Maxi Lopez probable targets.
Merkel and the former Padova sensation have both appeared in six League games this term, but the German has played in 517 minutes of action, while the Milan man has been limited to just 193.